I work in a field (some might call it New Age, others might call it the spiritual or healing arts) where unfortunately there have been too many instances where people in need of guidance and personal transformation have been taken advantage of (and in some cases bullied) by unscrupulous people looking to make a quick buck off their vulnerability.

It's because of these tricksters among us that I understand why some people are quick to write off astrology, tarot, clairvoyance, chakra cleansing etc. as being nothing more than a cool party trick because..let's face it -- fraud is a real thing (no pun intended).

As matter of fact, now that Neptune, the planet of healing and healers is retrograde (and as such we're being asked dispel the illusions in our lives); the problem with fraudulent healers makes me think about the two sides of Neptune and Jupiter -- the two planets in charge of faith, spirituality, mysticism, as well as guides and teachers. I bring up Jupiter as well because with Jupiter currently in Virgo, there has been a noticeable uptick in the coaching business. On the positive side, Neptune and Jupiter help to uplift, inspire, heal, and unite people together. However, on the shadow side, Jupiter can just as easily exaggerate the truth as well as the ego, making us prone to lies or a God complex; whereas Neptune can make us prone to addictive behavior, deception (or the refusal to accept reality), and victim-savior like relationships. Sadly, it's these kind of dynamics that fuel a bad or imbalanced relationship between a healer and a client.

As a healer, I am happy to say there are ethics and rules that I abide by in running my astrology practice and providing services for my clients. Some of which includes me following-up/delivering on anything that I've verbally promised to my client, informing my client what to expect from me and my services before and after accepting payment, and encouraging clients to ask any questions they may have about me, my work, or the reading process. Incidentally, there have been cases where I have turned down a potential client because they have either asked me for something that I wasn't qualified/skilled to do or they wanted something that I was unwilling to do (like them wanting a reading to find out what someone else was up to -- a BIG no, no). The good news here is that I am not alone in running an ethical healing practice (and I'm always striving to learn how to be a better reader and improve my practice). And there are many other amazing, authentic, and responsible healers out there too. You just need to know how to spot one. As such I've come up with a quick list on possible red flags when dealing with a fugazy healer, as well as tips on finding a reputable one.

Beware:

1. The healer who over-promises on results or isn't clear about what they do/how they do it (aka The Donald Trump). Do they make themselves or their services sound like they're the answer to every problem you've ever had? Do they make grandiose statements about what they can do for you?Are they clear/forthcoming about what they do or does it feel like pulling teeth in trying to get information from them? A healer should be confident in their skills but they should only promise you what they can deliver, especially since most readers know it's up to the client to really make use of the tools, guidance, or information they receive. Also, when it comes to what a healer/reader does, it should always be made clear to you and should you have questions, a reader should always be able to answer your questions in a thorough and timely manner.

2. The healer who uses scare tactics to get you to purchase their services or take their advice. If a healer makes you feel like things will grow from bad to worse if you don't seek out their help or their consistent message is one of gloom, doom, and a sky is falling kind of sentiment, find someone else. Fear shouldn't be your impetus for working with someone.

3. The healer with the God complex. No one and I mean no one, knows you better than you know yourself. If you come across a reader who makes you feel like they know you best or what's best for you even though you disagree, if they make you feel like they have something over you in some way because of their skill, refuse to listen to or accept your questions/feedback, or forget that their job is to support/assist you in making the best choices for you; walk the other way.

4. The healer who is abusive, negative, or just outright creepy. If a reader belittles you, disrespects you, oversteps their boundaries with you, talks down to you, makes you feel bad about yourself/your decisions or just leaves you feeling shitty: don't be afraid to stop/leave the reading, ask for your money back, or dump/avoid them as your reader.

5. The healer who is just trying to get your money. Do they keep trying to upsell you on their products or services using any of the tactics as noted above? Just say no.

Do:

1. Your research. If there's a reader you're interested in, research them. Do they have social media pages where you can get a vibe of what they're like? A legit-looking website? Testimonials from real people or honorable mentions from notable people in their field? Complaints from people online or people you know? Have they been published or featured by reputable media outlet? If you research a doctor, lawyer, hairstylist, etc. before entrusting your care to them, you should do the same with a healer.

2. Consider word of mouth. If someone you trust has been to a healer and has good things to say about them to you, it's a good chance that reader is legit. However, since what may work for one person may not necessarily work for another, see my next point.

3. Trust your gut. I can't tell you how important this is. Regardless of how successful or legitimate a reader looks, it really all comes down to the vibe or the first impression that you get from them. Do you feel like you can trust this personor does something feel off about them? Your intuition will never steer you wrong.

Ok, now I'd like to hear from you. Have you ever had a bad experience with a healer? How have you been able to figure out when someone's legit (or not legit)? Comment below!

Happy Full Moon-- excuse me, SUPERMOON in Pisces! Under this super dreamy, watery moon we're called to sit still and FEEL into our needs and desires. Our hearts have been speaking to us for a while, but the mental/outside chatter may have been too loud. This is the time to listen, so the heart may be heard. Pay attention to your dreams.

On a slightly different note, there is a lot of Neptune haze in the atmosphere today and the next few days. While it will be important for us to feel our feelings to tap into the magic that surrounds us, we must be careful not to avoid the truth or waste time with what can never be. In other words, this moon can help us to cut through and release the bullshit if we want it to.

Venus, our planetary Goddess of love and wealth, makes her way into Pisces today, where she'll eventually sync up with Neptune, then Mars. But not before having a face-off with Saturn in Sagittarius on January 29th. If we've been fooling ourselves in our relationships; playing too many rounds of victim-savior, or mistaking poverty for piety, Saturn will come along to deliver some hard, but necessary, truth.

Yet, for those of us who have been erring too far on the side of the cynic, the stoic, the guarded, the critic, the pragmatic-because-it's-safe-side, this deep and dreamy union of Venus, Mars, and Neptune will be a reminder. A planetary potion of sorts to remind us of how it FEELS to be in love, to soul mate, to stand emotionally naked in front of another in our truth.

Warrior planet, Mars, moves to soft and soulful Pisces today, where he'll stay until February 19th. What happens when you combine the God of War with the Messenger of Peace? Active compassion. Fierce fantasy. Creative courage.

However, since Mars is also the planet of action and ambition, beware of passive aggression, lack of follow-through, or executing plans with no real aim. This is especially important as Mercury prepares to do his backward spin later this month.

If love is your campaign, you'll win. Especially if you act on intuition.

If you're the slightest bit interested in astrology and have ever engaged someone in conversation about it you've probably heard one or more of the following:

"I'm a Taurus, and we're the best!" or "Oh my god, I cannot stand Geminis!" or "You're a Libra? What are they supposed to be about?" or "Well, all I know is that I'm a Pisces."

Thanks to popular astrology it's safe to assume that nearly everyone is familiar with their Sun sign--BUT--what if I told you that you had a complete birth chart where nine other main cosmic bodies (in more than one sign) work in tandem with your Sun placement, to provide a framework of the the talents you were born with? For example, did you know that you have a Rising sign (public persona), a Moon sign (emotions), a Venus sign (love and wealth), a Mars sign (sex drive and aggression), and even a Mercury sign (thought process and communication style) that all come together in your chart to help you to express your uniqueness?

If you were to look at my chart, you would see that in addition to my Sagittarius Sun I also have my Mars in Leo and my Mercury in Capricorn. In loose terms this means I act like a star and think like a businesswoman ( ha! I smell a book deal!). Or how about my Aries sun daughter with a Mars in Taurus which makes her shall we say, EXTRA persistent when it comes to getting what she wants. (I'm almost certain this kid works for the Mafia. Ha! Kidding. Sort of.)

sample birth chart.

Anyway, as per the birth chart; quite simply it's a snapshot of the sky at the exact time and place you were born. At that time the stars, planets, and asteroids were transiting through at least 5 different zodiac signs creating your special astro-blend. Each of those planets then "fall" in different areas of your chart known as Houses. These houses (one for each zodiac sign) correspond to different areas of your life; the sign that rules each house will show how those areas or houses are maintained.

This is why when we focus solely on our Sun signs or keep ourselves closed off from other signs, we run the risk of severely limiting our awareness of ourselves and others.

At its core, astrology helps us to recognize the human being as a complete, multidimensional entity; to understand humanness in all of its complexity, contradiction, and beauty. When we allow room for complexity, we allow each other room to be who we are.